Carlow pilgrims given special welcome in Luxembourg

CARLOW pilgrims travelled to Luxembourg recently to partake in the centuries-old annual hopping procession in honour of Carlow-trained St Willibrord. They were among nearly 10,000 people who hopped from one foot to the other through the streets of Echternach to remember St Willibrord, patron saint of Luxembourg and the first apostle of the Netherlands.

St Willibrord, an Anglo-Saxon, spent 12 years being trained at Rath Melsigi, Milford, Co Carlow and was ordained by the bishop of Leighlin at his monastery at Old Leighlin before he left Carlow on his European mission in 690AD.

Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, archbishop of Luxembourg, who was recently part of the conclave that elected Pope Leo XIV, extended a public welcome to the Carlow contingent. His public address was made at the start of the hopping procession to thousands of pilgrims gathered in Echternach, Luxembourg’s oldest town and the site of St Willibrord’s monastery and where he is buried.

The hopping procession has UNESCO World Heritage Status and it takes place on the Tuesday after Pentecost Sunday. Twenty-one pilgrims travelled from Co Carlow, led by Fr Thomas O’Byrne, Carlow Cathedral; cllr Fintan Phelan, then mayor of the municipal district of Carlow; and cllr Ken Murnane, now cathaoirleach of the county council. 

The Carlow pilgrims were welcomed to Echternach by Carole Hartmann, mayor of Ville d’Echternach, who referenced a friendship agreement that was signed between Carlow and Echternach in 2019.

Cllr Fintan Phelan said of the visit: “The strength of the connection between Carlow and Echternach was very evident throughout our time in Luxembourg. St Willibrord led the way from Carlow in the seventh century and, as a group, we followed in his footsteps partaking in the ceremonies and the hopping procession to further strengthen this special connection. We engaged in an economic development programme, examined active travel initiatives and Luxembourg’s new urban gardens.” 

 The group was joined throughout their pilgrimage by Her Excellency Jean McDonald, Ireland’s ambassador to the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, along with her colleague Caoimhe McCarthy, deputy head of mission, at the Irish embassy. Ambassador McDonald and her staff greatly assisted the group in preparing for the visit.

The Carlow Local Enterprise Office, through head of enterprise Kieran Comerford and Seamus Doran, deputy head of enterprise, led an economic delegation of director of services Padraig O’Gorman, Norah Ryan, president of Carlow Chamber of Commerce, Nicola Doran, chief executive of Carlow Chamber of Commerce, and Gemma Purcell from SETU, who took the opportunity to meet several economic groups in Luxembourg.

As part of the visit and a sign of the close ties between Carlow and Luxembourg, Florence Ensch, the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg’s ambassador to Ireland, travelled to Luxembourg to also welcome the group to her country and to her home town of Vianden, where she arranged a guided tour of the town’s medieval castle.

Afterwards, she co-ordinated a reception with mayor Francy Weyrich in the city hall. Gerrie Dunne, pipemaster, Killeshin Piped Band, who travelled as part of the pilgrimage, welcomed guests to the city hall. He did the same again in Echternach and he escorted mayor Hartmann into the town hall for her welcome for the Carlow pilgrims.

The Carlow group visited the huge Basilica of St Willibrord, the crypt to see the shrine of St Willibrord, the UNESCO Hopping Procession Centre and the Abbey Museum. Also, in the Basilica of St Willibrord they viewed the impressive Irish stained-glass window, which depicts St Willibrord’s time being trained, ordained and saying his first Mass in Co Carlow.

For the hopping procession, the Carlow pilgrims rose early at sunrise to be in Echternach for 7am (6am Irish time) to see the arrival of the German pilgrims to Echternach. These pilgrims had been walking approximately 60km since Pentecost Sunday to attend the procession. Everyone then proceeded to the Basilica of St Willibrord for Mass. Afterwards, the relic of St Willibrord was carried by the Echternach firemen into the adjoining school yard for the start of the procession.

Here, Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, archbishop of Luxembourg, addressed the many thousands gathered. He specifically included a welcome for the group from Carlow and thanked us for sending them St Willibrord. Over the course of the morning, nearly 10,000 people hopped through the streets of Echternach.

The Carlow group were in group 31, which included ambassadors and embassy staff of several European countries.

During the highly successful visit, the group were joined by Dr Patrick Dondelinger, Ministry of Culture, Luxembourg and Fr Michael Cusack, chaplain to the English-speaking community in Luxembourg.